A Blue Springs man faces charges after leading Independence police on a chase that resulted in two people being seriously injured in a crash on Thursday.

Jackson County prosecutors charged Joshua B. Hardin, 23, with four felonies Friday – second-degree assault, second-degree domestic assault, resisting arrest and possession of a controlled substance – for his role in a chase that ended in a crash. He was also charged with a misdemeanor of driving with a revoked license.

Two were injured seriously after a white Dodge Intrepid Hardin was driving slammed into a Jeep Grand Cherokee at the intersection of 39th Street and Little Blue Parkway during a chase Thursday afternoon.

According to court documents, Independence police received a transfer call from Lee’s Summit police at about 2:04 p.m. about an assault in progress. A witness said she saw Hardin allegedly striking his female passenger with his fists while they traveled north on Interstate 470.

The witness said when she pulled close to the Intrepid, the female victim mouthed the words “Help me.” The witness continued to follow Hardin as he exited onto westbound Interstate 70 and continued to beat the woman. The witness told police she saw Hardin strike the female victim “over 100 times with his fists,” according to court documents.

Court records say Independence police attempted to stop Hardin’s vehicle but he refused to stop. He slowed down after exiting I-70 onto Noland Road and the female victim attempted to get out, but Hardin sped off, leading police on a high-speed chase through Independence streets, narrowly missing several cars and nearly losing control at speeds up to 85 mph.

Independence police spokesperson Tom Gentry said the pursuit was justified because the female passenger was in apparent danger.

After swerving to miss another vehicle while traveling east on 39th Street, Hardin’s car struck the Jeep heading north on Little Blue Parkway. The male driver of the Jeep was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries.

Hardin and his passenger also were taken to the hospital. The passenger suffered fractured ribs from the crash and had other serious injuries. Hardin was treated and released into police custody.

While the victim was being treated, a nurse told police she discovered a small bag of a crystalline substance in the suspect’s crotch. A test later determined the substance to be methamphetamine.

Hardin remains in custody. Prosecutors have requested a bond of $150,000 cash.